Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to repair devices and methods for retinal tears and detachments, and is particularly concerned with non-inflatable retinal repair devices.
Related Art
Retinal detachment or separation can occur spontaneously, or due to myopia, cataract surgery, certain eye diseases, and long term medical conditions such as diabetes. Detachment occurs when vitreous liquid leaks through a retinal opening or tear and accumulates under the retina. As liquid accumulates, the retina may separate from the underlying layer, the retinal pigment epithelium. Normally, surgery is used to repair retinal tears, holes and detachments. In this type of surgery, known as scleral buckling, a device is attached to buckle the sclera using scleral sutures, flaps, encircling bands, or the like. The surgery may also include draining subretinal or removing anterior chamber fluid. The operation may also be combined by removing the vitreous gel and replacing it with a type of balanced salt solution, known as vitrectomy. Surgical buckles as used in such surgeries can produce discomfort and blurred vision, and can also lead to infection. The recovery period from such surgery is typically several months.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,227 of Lincoff describes a device known as the Lincoff balloon and a method of using the device for correcting retinal detachment using an expandable member which does not have to be secured to the sclera by sutures. A balloon is inserted into Tenon's space through a small incision and positioned above the retinal tear. It is then expanded to form an indention or scleral depression in the eye at the tear. The expanded balloon is left in place until the retina has reattached.